TUCSON - Top-ranked Arizona took an early lead, built it, then hung on for a 4-2 victory over No. 6 seed Saint Peter's in first-round NCAA Region I play Friday evening.

Danielle Bronner's two-run homer to center broke a three-hit shutout by UA pitcher Jenny Gladding (15-2). The Peahens became the first team to score runs against UA in a regional since the 1999 season.

Freshman Gladding struck out a career-high 15, and Toni Mascarenas' three hits were keys to help lead the Wildcats. Gladding tied a personal high with the 14 strikeouts.

The victory was Arizona's 45th consecutive at home, tying a school record. The last home loss was to Stanford on April 9, 2000.

UA (58-4) moved into a winner's bracket game Friday night against the winner of the second elimination game to be played earlier in the afternoon. Saint Peter's (42-19) was to play again Thursday in the first elimination game.

The Cats picked up a run in the first on a single by Nicole Giordano, a single by Mascarenas and a groundball by Leneah Manuma to score Giordano. Back-to-back doubles by Mascarenas and Manuma set the stage for a sacrifice fly by Jennie Finch to make it 2-0 in the third.

Arizona stretched the lead to 4-0 in the fourth on a two-run single by Mascarenas. UA was helped by after a batted ball hit runner Gladding, but she was not ruled out since a dead ball had been called.

Gladding improved her record to 14-2. SPC ace Sandy Attanasio, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference co-Pitcher of the Year, dropped to 22-9.

Gladding gave up singles to Jen Tango in the fifth and Hilary Stockwell in the sixth. Pam Deluca singled in the seventh before Bronner's blast.

TUCSON - Texas Tech's Amanda Renfroe scattered four hits and struck out eight to help lead the Raiders to a 3-2 victory over Saint Peter's College and stay alive in NCAA Region 1 softball action.

Renfroe improved to 33-18 and boosted TTU to 36-23. The Peahens were eliminated from the tournament and finished with a 42-20 overall record and their first NCAA appearance.

Texas Tech will play Hawai'i in Game 5 at 2:30 p.m. (MST) Friday.

Texas Tech loaded the bases in the first inning on a single and two walks,and then plated the game's first run on a wild pitch by SPC pitcher Sandy Attanasio.

Sandy Butler's two-run single in the top of the second pushed the Raiders' lead to 3-0. But Saint Peter's trimmed it to 3-2 with a pair of runs in the second, one scoring on a passed ball and the other on Danielle Bronner's RBI single.